Five horses in Maine have died of confirmed Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and animal health authorities are waiting on test results of another three “suspicious” cases, reported the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (Maine CDC) and the Maine Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health and Industry Division.

EEE is a virus that is transmitted through the bite of an infected

The following is a statement released by the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA):

Veterinarians around Australia are mourning the death of Alister Rodgers from a Hendra virus infection, and urge governments to immediately increase investment in fighting the deadly disease.

“Just 12 months ago we lost friend and colleague Ben Cunneen to Hendra virus

The Illinois Equine Humane Center (ILEHC) recently relocated its operation to Elgin, Ill. The ILEHC’s herd of horses seeking adoptive homes can now be visited at their new facility, located at 9N673 Kendall Road in Elgin.

“We are very excited about our new location in Elgin,” said ILEHC President Gail Vacca. “The new farm has a huge indoor riding arena (something the old facility lacked)

Attendees at this year’s All American Quarter Horse Congress will have the opportunity to learn more about pursuing a career in veterinary medicine through a lecture entitled “So, You Want to be a Vet? Tips for How to Get Into and Succeed in Vet School.”

Panelists will include:

• Rustin Moore, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, chair, Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University

The Extreme Mustang Makeover will offer an estimated $300,000 in prize money as it enters its third year of competition.

“We’ve been very fortunate in this economy to be able to sell out all of our events with the average adoption of the mustangs holding at about $1,000 per head,” said Mustang Heritage Foundation Executive Director Patti Colbert. “Our goal each year has been to place

A quarantine at Rolling Hills Ranch stable in Bridgeville, Allegheny County, Pa., has been lifted after samples collected from all 116 horses there tested negative for the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus-1, or EHV-1, said Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff .

The quarantine was established on July 20 when at least three horses tested positive for the neurologic form of EHV-1. The

Private practice isn’t for everyone, but for graduating veterinary students facing an average of $120,000 in debt, it often is the only logical choice. A new program–the Pfizer Animal Health-Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) Veterinary Fellowship for Advanced Study–gives current practitioners necessary financial support while they pursue a veterinary research career. The program commits a

Cash receipts from sales of horses and stud fees in Kentucky again made equines the top agriculture product in 2008, according to state agriculture commissioner Richie Farmer.

Horse sales and stud fees totaled $1.08 billion, down 4% from 2007, as Kentucky farmers reported a record $4.84 billion in farm gate cash receipts in 2008.

“Our producers keep raising the bar year after year,”

The Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP) has developed an On Call Stewards Program so that a designated racing official will be available during telecasts of major racing events to explain the rules of racing if an unusual event occurs in a race.

“The On Call steward will be non-judgmental, meaning he or she is not there to make a determination one way or the other on any

Ericka Caslin will serve as the Director of the Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC), the American Horse Council announced today.

Caslin is a graduate of Virginia Tech’s Animal Sciences program and has been an active member of the hunter/jumper community for more than 10 years, competing at shows throughout the country.

For the past four years, she served as the Administrative Director of

A new trail training course at the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center in the Kentucky Horse Park will allow off-the-track Thoroughbreds to be schooled over natural trails. The training course, developed by the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center, the Equine Land Conservation Resource, and the Central Kentucky Back Country Horsemen, will include wooded trails, natural obstacles, and stream crossings.

Wildlife Services, a program within the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, will distribute oral rabies vaccine baits beginning on or about Aug. 28 to prevent the spread of raccoon rabies in portions of western and northern New York. Another baiting program is under way in 14 western Pennsylvania counties.

In cooperation with the New York State Department of Health and key

The diverse world of veterinary medicine and an expanded Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) will be on public display from October 1 to 4 during Vetavision, a four-day open house at the veterinary college on the University of Saskatchewan campus.

This year’s Vetavision offers a variety of educational displays, speakers, demonstrations and animals that will appeal to peopl

Biosecurity Queensland has euthanized a horse at a Cawarral horse nursery property that tested positive for Hendra virus infection. Euthanasia is the national policy for horses confirmed as being infected with the virus, which can affect both horses and humans.

Horses can have the virus in their system and recover, but there is an ongoing risk of the virus remaining dormant and